The First Step
by polybi
Summary: Exploring something that was mentioned in 4x15. Trigger warnings: Suicide attempt, drug use. Not shippy, but hints of SQ and DQ. One shot.


_Inspired by 4x15. Trigger warnings: drug use, attempted suicide._

_Hints of SwanQueen and DragonQueen_

_The usual disclaimers. Comments are welcome. This is a one-shot._

* * *

As she approached the door to the office, she remembered. She remembered when the suffering was almost done for good. How many times she wished that it had been over.

She remembered when she faced the monster. Implored the beast to devour her, hoping it would choke on her bones. Soon the suffering would be over. It would have been, if it wasn't for that damned squid.

She was almost over again, this time for good, battling the blonde. She knew the blonde was nobler than most. She prayed the blonde's blade would strike true. It did. She loved the blonde for doing this. And for the first time maybe in her life, she was happy as the enveloping darkness heralded its end.

And then, the squid and her puppy-loving pal, along with that gnome Rumplestiltskin brought her back so they can have _their_ happy endings.

So after all that happened, she cared not for a happy ending, just an ending.

She was hooked on the stuff, watered down, of course. After she lost her daughter, she had nothing to go on for. All she had to do is prick her finger and she simply died a little.

Now after her quest for a final ending has failed. she wanted to make it permanent. Oh, her partners in darkness surrendered and received second chances. But she did not deserve one, she felt. She put everything into that final curse and transferred that everything into that needle.

And as she slept, she did not know that her once one and only friend and her current one and only friend found her out cold on the bed in her room at Granny's Inn. Found the needle. Figured everything out. Did not hear her friend tell _her_ friend that she had to try something. She did not hear her friend tell the other "no matter what, Emma, I'm not leaving you." Did not see them kiss. Nor see both kneel women kneel down to either side of her.

But she did feel the kiss. The warmth that flowed from those lips traveled through her entire body, neutralizing the cursed mixture and awakening her. Her eyes open, she turns to the left and sees her friend. "Why didn't you let me go...?", she said weakly.

"Because I said I'd never leave you." said her friend.

Then she wondered who else was holding her hand, she slowly turned her head in the opposite direction, and saw pink skin, gold hair, moist red eyes, and a smiling face. "You see, the smiling blonde said, Regina has this thing about not abandoning people she loves. And trust me, you and I are in a very, very exclusive club."

There were weeks in the hospital, a good deal of rehab and body cleansing. The pair lovingly referred to by Regina as Fish Sticks and Pound Puppy showed up, regaling her with tales of recent mischief. The town pawnshop owner and his wife show up, as well as the town pirate, the town ice cream maker, the town innkeeper and her granddaughter the town werewolf. the town pixie and the town nun. With all the visits there was a lot of now we understands and we forgive you, and in one case a tearful "I'm sorry" and something about a unicorn. Not to mention a tearful I'm sorry from the town schoolmarm.

But there were still urges and the town cricket-turned-counselor/conscience told her that she would always have those urges. And because of that she will need help. And she would also have to admit she needs help to herself.

And so, she walked into the meeting room, but not alone. Regina and Emma were there. So where her cohorts Ursula and Cru, Snow and Charming came, as well as the Golds all pretty much there to give support.

There were three people in the room already: at the podium was the town counselor Archie Hopper and the Mother Superior. Sitting in the audience section was a bearded man named Leroy and his girlfriend Astrid.

The meeting started and Archie looked over and saw that there were a lot more people at this meeting than usual, and he asked the usual question to start things off: "Is there anyone new here tonight."

For all her life, for all the bravado she has ever exhibited, as she slowly rose and walked up the steps to the podium and the microphone, she was scared crapless. Maybe because for the first time she didn't have to be a villain or a hero, she just had to be herself.

And she knew her world was about to change by speaking nine words...

"My name is Maleficent...and I am an addict..."

**The beginning.**


End file.
